A former UN Marine cop in a future New York embarks on a dangerous mission to rescue her abducted partner in a world ruled by AI and rampant crime, facing personal demons and unexpected alliances along the way. The book explores themes of PTSD, unemployment, AI dominance, and survival in a gritty cyberpunk setting, offering a fast-paced and action-packed adventure with intriguing character dynamics and a suspenseful plot.

Reader Review Summary

"The Paradise Factory" is a gritty, action-packed cyberpunk thriller that immerses the reader in a vividly realized dystopian future. Set in 2055 New York City, Keen paints a bleak yet gripping portrait of a world where advanced AI and machine intelligence have rendered most of humanity obsolete, leading to widespread poverty, crime, and societal collapse.

The story follows Alice Yu, a former UN marine turned NYPD officer still haunted by her traumatic past. When her partner is abducted by a ruthless crime lord, Alice must venture into the lawless Fourth Ward territory to rescue him, even if it costs her what little she has left. Her unlikely ally becomes Red, a young courier who gets entangled in Alice's mission when his own delivery job goes awry.

From the gripping opening chapters, Keen deploys his worldbuilding skills to truly make this dilapidated future New York come alive. Through vivid descriptions, fictional news excerpts and character backstories, he fleshes out how society fell apart after advanced AI displaced the workforce and climate change ravaged the city. Little authentic human society remains beyond corrupt police forces, ruthless criminal factions fighting for territory, and the dejected masses struggling for basic survival.

But the true strengths lie in Keen's masterful characterizations and thrilling action setpieces. Alice is a compellingly flawed heroine - battle-hardened yet haunted by past failures and PTSD, struggling to find purpose in a world of anarchy. Her banter and grudging partnership with the resourceful Red provides welcome levity amid the bleakness. Their desperate journey across the lawless Brooklyn Bridge, engaging in intense firefights and parkour chases through the crumbling cityscape, makes for cinematic, pulse-pounding entertainment.

Keen doesn't shy away from moral ambiguity or harsh realities in this bold vision of an AI-dominated future dystopia gone wrong. His exploration of how humanity adapts, survives, and finds shreds of hope is poignant and thought-provoking beneath the smooth pacing and thrilling action. While the dense worldbuilding can occasionally be overwhelming, the rich atmosphere and high-stakes character stakes keep you anchored.

With dynamic heroes you can't help but root for and a frighteningly plausible "what-if" future setting, "The Paradise Factory" is a captivating and imaginative start to Keen's Cortex cyberpunk series. Dystopian sci-fi fans and readers craving a dose of adrenaline are sure to be hooked by this suspenseful vision of life after the AI revolution. I'm already eager to continue the adventures of Alice and Red as they fight to survive in the unforgiving urban wasteland of tomorrow.